Oculomotor paralysis: 3D-CISS MR imaging with MPR in the evaluation of neuralgic manifestation and the adjacent structures.

To evaluate the value of three-dimensional (3D) constructive interference in steady-state (CISS) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with multi-planar reconstruction (MPR) in displaying the relationship between the oculomotor nerve and its adjacent structures for patients with oculomotor paralysis.17 consecutive patients with oculomotor paralysis were examined with 3D-CISS and conventional spin-echo (SE) sequences on a 1.5-Tesla MR system. Original transverse and MPR images were used for image interpretation. The features of the oculomotor nerve and its adjacent structures were identified. The diagnosis was surgically confirmed in all patients.Through 3D-CISS with MPR images, obvious relationship of the oculomotor nerve and its adjacent structures was demonstrated on 17 patients. Of those oculomotor nerves, 15 were compressed by the arteries (n=15), one by the craniopharyngioma (n=1), and another one by the neurofibroma (n=1).3D-CISS MR imaging with MPR provides an excellent way to characterize the relationship between the nerve and its adjacent structures in the cisternal segment of the oculomotor nerve in the patients with oculomotor paralysis. Moreover, this method shows anatomical details for imaging diagnosis and surgical procedure.